


A Very Promising Partnership (The Bullets and Business Suits Remix)

by igrockspock



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bechdel Test Pass, Female Friendship, Gen, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-25 16:02:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7539025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/igrockspock/pseuds/igrockspock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The early days of Maria’s employment at Stark Industries aren’t entirely smooth, but she and Pepper agree on a few common goals, like practicing marksmanship, wearing fabulous clothes, and banding together to defeat Hydra.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Very Promising Partnership (The Bullets and Business Suits Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tielan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Paid In Advance](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1564838) by [tielan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/pseuds/tielan). 



On Maria Hill’s first day at Stark Industries, she strode into Pepper’s office and said, “We have to do something about your gun.”

Pepper raised her eyebrows. She didn’t mind directness, but she would have appreciated a little professional courtesy. “Excuse me?” she asked.

Maria jerked her eyes impatiently toward Pepper’s desk drawer. “That Beretta Pico in there can’t be your only weapon.”

“I wasn’t aware that your role as Head of Security included searching my desk -- and apparently my other possessions, if you know that’s my only gun,” Pepper said coolly.

Maria shook her head. “I saw it when you opened the drawer at our interview. And I know that’s your only gun because a tiny pistol is what people carry when they’re afraid of guns and somebody made them get one anyway.”

Pepper frowned and repressed a shudder. She _did_ hate guns. Just feeling the cool metal in her hands made her feel sick. “Happy handles my personal security. And Tony. Rhodey in a pinch. And I assume you’d be willing to lend a hand.”

“Was that adequate to prevent Aldrich Killian from kidnapping you?” Maria asked. Her gaze softened, and she took a step closer to Pepper’s desk. “My job is to keep you safe. Part of keeping you safe is teaching you to defend yourself. You are a high-value target because of your position at Stark Industries and your association with Tony Stark. Unless you can convince me that’s not true, we’re going to the firing range right now.”

***

Pepper was a hopeless shot. If tiny Beretta had made her want to be sick, the new 9mm Luger made her want to cry. No matter how hard she tried not to, she squeezed her eyes shut every time she pulled the trigger. None of her shots were anywhere close to the target.

“Let’s just stop,” Pepper said. She was aiming for authoritative, but she sounded pleading instead.

Maria stood firm. “Are you going to stop being the CEO of a multibillion dollar tech company?” 

Pepper shook her head.

“Are you going to break up with Tony?” 

Pepper paused, then shook her head again. She was sure Maria noticed the hesitation, but she didn’t call her on it.

“Okay then, I need you to tell me one thing you hate even more than this gun,” she said.

Pepper remembered lying in the chair, waiting for Extremis to kill her. “Feeling helpless,” she said.

Pulling the trigger got easier after that.

***

On Maria’s second day at Stark Industries, Pepper strode into her office and said, “We have _got_ to do something about your suit.”

Maria barely glanced up from the stack of papers on her desk. “You knew my fashion sense when you hired me.”

Pepper crossed her arms over her chest. She wasn’t budging on this one. “I didn’t realize the suit you wore to your interview was the only one you owned.”

Maria looked exasperated. “Are we really doing this? Surely you’ve got better things to do than worry about my wardrobe.”

“Not right now I don’t. My chief of security is going to represent me on Capitol Hill next week, and she’s out of uniform.” Maria opened her mouth to protest, but Pepper held up her hand. “A business suit -- and I mean a _good_ business suit -- is our uniform. I need you to wear it.”

Maria nodded. A faint pink blush was spreading across her cheekbones. “The wardrobe could use some work, I know. But my fashion sense is out of date...and my assets were frozen by the CIA.”

“And that’s why we deposited your first paycheck today. We trust you to do the work.” She called for Happy to bring the car around. “Come on, we’re going shopping.”

***

Judging by her facial expression, Maria loathed the Armani store as much as Pepper loathed the firing range.

“It’s a pencil skirt, not a poisonous snake,” Pepper said, pushing a hanger into Maria’s hands. 

“I’d rather have the snake,” Maria muttered, just loud enough for Pepper to hear.

“I’m sure we can find a snakeskin handbag,” Pepper murmured, determined not to be ruffled. Maria on a bad day was still a hundred times easier than Tony on a good one. “Try to pick up at least one thing that’s not black.”

Maria held a pastel blue top close to her face. “Look, all the colors wash me out.”

“That’s actually impossible,” Pepper said. She put the horrid blue shirt back on the shelf and held up a red one instead. “Try something brighter.”

Maria wandered the store, obediently gathering every brightly colored top in sight. Pepper trailed after her and said, “Tell me one thing you hate more than shopping.”

At that, Maria actually smiled. “The idea that someone might look at me and think I’m incompetent.”

Getting her to try on clothes was easier after that.

***

By the end of the day, Maria had a full business wardrobe. Convincing her to actually _buy_ it was the next hurdle. She stood in front of the cash register, staring at the thousands of dollars adding up on the screen.

“Pepper, I can’t _do_ this,” she hissed, keeping her voice low so the determinedly helpful salesgirl wouldn’t hear.

“Of course you can,” Pepper whispered back. “Just pretend they’re guns and the expense will seem justified.”

Maria shook her head. “No, Pepper, I mean I can’t _afford_ this. I told you, my assets were frozen and --”

“That’s why we deposited your first paycheck today,” Pepper said firmly. She added a pair of soft leather boots to Maria’s pile, knowing there was no way she’d buy them without encouragement.

Maria slid the boots off the counter when the salesgirl wasn’t looking. “I appreciate the advance payment, but I still have to pay for rent, electricity, food… I can’t eat a business suit.”

Pepper frowned. “You do realize one hundred thousand dollars was deposited into your bank account this morning?”

“ _One hundred thousand dollars?_ ” Maria’s voice was as close to shriek as Pepper had ever heard it, and the salesgirl’s head snapped up. “What for?”

“Your monthly paycheck,” Pepper said. “What else?”

Maria blinked rapidly several times, then laid her credit card on the counter. Pepper was pleased to see she bought the boots.

***

“Happy, we’re going for drinks,” Pepper said when all their purchases were safely ensconced in the trunk. She had a few things to discuss with Maria.

The bar was a Stark property. Maria entered a few paces ahead of Pepper, her eyes scanning for exits and vulnerabilities, then sweeping over the crystal chandeliers and skyline view. The wine list had no prices, and Maria fiddled with the fringe on her new scarf while she read it.

“Don’t worry. We’ll expense it,” Pepper said.

Maria smiled wryly. “That obvious, huh?”

“It takes some getting used to,” Pepper admitted. “I grew up on a farm in Iowa. My father took us to the local diner on the last Sunday of the month if we were good. Shall I order for us both?”

“Not necessary,” Maria said briskly. If she was unfamiliar with the wine list, it didn’t show, and she spoke to the sommelier in excellent French.

When the wine arrived -- Chateauneuf-du-Pape for Maria and Viognier for Pepper -- Pepper got down to business. “You didn’t read your salary and benefit package before you accepted the offer,” she said. “Why?”

Maria frowned. “It wasn’t about the money.”

“Then what was it about?” 

“Does it matter?”

Pepper nodded. “Tony and I discovered seven Hydra plants working in R&D. So yes, I need to know what makes my employees tick.”

“You’re not Hydra, and neither is Stark. You have the resources to form a global intelligence network of your own. In fact, I’m assuming you already have.” She paused to sip her wine. She looked blissful for a second, then business-like again. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

Pepper nodded. “I can work with that. Can you work with me?”

“It would help if I understood why you were paying me this much. Now that I’ve reviewed the compensation portion of my contract, the quarterly performance bonus is over the top, even by the standards of Stark Industries. Do I have duties that weren’t mentioned in the official interview?”

“Naturally, our so-called global intelligence network is focused solely on SI’s business interests. But employees who show initiative are welcome to take on independent projects,” Pepper said levelly. She trusted the bar not to be bugged. Still, she preferred not to communicate too frankly. She knew Maria would pick up on the veiled implication.

“Alright. If extracurricular activities are my choice, what’s the money for?” Maria asked, shifting back in her seat to regard Pepper.

Pepper chose her words carefully. “Stark Industries is a tech conglomerate. We have no place intervening in the nation’s security affairs. However, if our employees were aware of any freelance individuals working against Hydra…”

“They would be perfectly free to make a donation,” Maria finished for her. “I'm sure that Mr. Rogers and Mr. Wilson would be grateful to hear about our arrangement.”

“Glad to hear it,” Pepper said, raising her glass to clink it against Maria’s. “I believe this is the beginning of a very promising partnership.”


End file.
